The Sweeper ─ A Buddhist Tale

A beautifully illustrated picture book that tells the classic Buddhist tale of a young servant girl's profound and life-changing encounter with the Buddha--for children ages 5-10.


In this retelling of a famous Buddhist anecdote, Padme, a young servant girl, meets the Buddha as she is sweeping her master's house. When she laments to him that she is so busy that she would never have time to meditate, he gives her the instruction to "sweep and clean." This simple mindfulness practice transforms Padme's life, and when she encounters the Buddha many years later, he sees how powerful this practice has been in her life. Rebecca Hazell, an artist, author, and longtime Buddhist, tells the story in a simple but compelling way, and has created lush, color-saturated illustrations to accompany the text. The Sweeper is an appealing read-aloud book, but it will also engage older children who are comfortable reading on their own.

Rebecca Hazell is an award-winning artist, author, and educator. She has published four nonfiction children’s books and created best-selling educational filmstrips and educational craft kits for children. She is a senior teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage, and she holds an honors BA from the University of California at Santa Cruz in Russian and Chinese history. Her books include The Barefoot Book of Heroic Children, Women Writers, and several self-published fantasy novels. Her website is rebeccahazell.com.